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High school football: Tulsa East Central's Kimmie Carson continuing to grow into linebacker position

SUPER 30 — Kimmie Carson first played the linebacker position in the 2010 playoffs. Nearly two years later, he's widely considered the top linebacker in the state, and coach Bobby Klinck still calls him ‘a raw talent.'

TULSA — When Tulsa East Central linebacker Marcus Dees suffered an injury just before the Cardinals' playoff opener in 2010, sophomore Kimmie Carson was hungry for the chance to get more game action.

East Central football player Kimmie Carson poses for a photo at East Central High School in Tulsa on Friday, May 27, 2011. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Then-coach Travis Hill trusted the youngster with the position even though he had been playing defensive end to that point.

“It was a natural move for me,” Carson said. “It wasn't hard at all. Coach Hill just told me to read the fullback and go get it and that's what I did. I had a great game.”

Carson played a big part in the Cardinals' 30-8 win over Skiatook in the opener, then helped East Central advance to the Class 5A title game.

Now, nearly two years later, Carson is widely considered the top linebacker in the state and comes in at No. 10 on The Oklahoman's Super 30 list of the state's top recruits.

“He's just such a raw talent,” first-year East Central coach Bobby Klinck said. “The thing about him is he loves contact. He's a fast player, he's just extremely raw right now.”

Klinck said he expected Carson to grow in the position as the season goes on.

Carson is receiving a good amount of recruiting attention already. He has offers from New Mexico and South Dakota and conditional offers from Oregon State, Washington State and Arkansas State.

He hopes to turn one of those conditional offers, Arkansas State, into a full offer later this month when he travels to Jonesboro, Ark., where Red Wolves head coach Gus Malzahn will take a look at Carson.

A day earlier, he'll be across the state in Fayetteville at the University of Arkansas.

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Ryan Aber has worked for The Oklahoman since 2006, covering high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks, the Oklahoma City Barons and OU football recruiting. An Oklahoma City native, Aber graduated from Northeastern State. Before joining The...

The Oklahoman's Super 30 feature series on the state's top football recruits continues with No. 10, Kimmie Carson of Tulsa East Central. Here are the last three players we've written about in the series:

No. 13: Ben Oberste, Sallisaw

No. 12: Dominique Alexander, Tulsa Washington

No. 11: Jordan Smallwood, Jenks

Up next: Check out No. 9 on the Super 30 list, a big, bruising running back who accounted for nearly 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns while helping his team to the state finals. Find out who he is in Saturday's Oklahoman.

No. 10: Kimmie Carson

School: Tulsa East Central

Height: 6-2

Weight: 210

Position: Linebacker

Recruited by: Offers include Arkansas State, Oregon State, New Mexico and South Dakota.